Niki (she/her), President of MPHA, is a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Northwest Montana where she currently lives and raises her family. Niki is a grandmother of two, mother of four, along with her spouse of 30 years. Niki has served on the MPHA Board for 7 years in Regional VP and Tribal VP positions. Her deep understanding of tribal healthcare needs, combined with her strategic approach, has resulted in numerous advancements in healthcare delivery across tribal sites in MT. Niki obtained her Master’s in Public Health in 2014; her primary focus has been capacity building and technical assistance for Native communities and Native serving organizations. Niki's personal time involves rides in the mountains on horses, photography, and time with family.

Kimberly (she/her), President-Elect, is a public health and policy leader committed to advancing prevention and health equity. She served eight years as an MT State Representative, leading public health reforms and advancing evidence-based prevention policy. She also served as Director of Health Administration at Missoula Public Health. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Deputy County Attorney and Assistant Attorney General, advocating to keep children safe and bringing a frontline prevention lens to child welfare and public protection. Her work bridges law, policy, and public health to address upstream determinants of harm. Kimberly holds a BSN from Montana State University, a JD from the University of Montana School of Law, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is currently completing a PhD in public health at the UM. Outside of work, she enjoys time with her husband and four children, hiking, camping, gardening, and sharing good food.

Kristi, Past-President of MPHA, is the STD, HIV, and Viral Hepatitis Section Supervisor at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. A public health nurse for 22 years, she has worked at both the local and state levels and now oversees statewide prevention and treatment programs. Kristi has served on the MPHA Board for more than a decade in roles including regional VP, historian, and now President. She loves working alongside, and learning from, dedicated public health professionals across Montana. Outside of work, Kristi enjoys gardening, hiking, lake days, and spending time on her patio with friends.

Todd serves as the MPHA Board Historian and is a longtime public health leader with more than 27 years of experience at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, most recently as Administrator of the Public Health and Safety Division. He holds an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s in Biology/Microbiology from The University of Akron. Todd enjoys serving on the MPHA board because of the dedicated people strengthening public health across Montana. He has three sons and enjoys hiking, backpacking, fishing, and playing music. Fun fact: he twice earned “superior ratings” at the Ohio State Science Fair.

Tammy, Tribal Vice President, is an enrolled Tribal member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) and has lived her entire life on the Flathead Reservation, home of the CSKT. She has dedicated her career to serving her Tribal community, working for the CSKT Tribal Health Department for 28 years as a Public Health Nurse. For the past 12 years, she has also served as the CSKT Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. Tammy earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. She developed a passion for public health at a young age and has remained deeply committed to protecting and strengthening the health of Tribal communities. Tammy looks forward to bringing a Tribal perspective to the board, advocating for Tribal public health priorities, and ensuring that the unique needs of Tribal communities are recognized and not lost in the broader public health landscape.

Kayla, Secretary of MPHA, is a Project Manager with the University of Montana Public Health Training Center, where she works to support capacity-building and professional development opportunities for public health and healthcare professionals throughout Montana. In her role, she manages statewide public health promotion and education projects, and supports public and behavioral health programs. Kayla is passionate about health equity and advocating for historically and systemically underrepresented communities, and enjoys relationship-building and opportunities to collaborate with peers and partners. Outside of work, she values overcrowding her house with plants, eating good food, and traveling. 

Tomina, Vice President of Region 1, is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and currently resides on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in northeast Montana. Tomina and her husband of more than 26 years have raised eight children together, deeply grounding her work in family and community values. A newer member of the MPHA Board, Tomina is beginning her second term. She began her career in public health in 2006 and has served as the Director of Public Health since 2013, bringing more than 30 years of nursing experience to her leadership role. Working in the very rural Fort Peck community presents many barriers to care. Through these challenges, Tomina has developed innovative, out-of-the-box approaches to reach her relatives and community members, ensuring access to quality, culturally responsive public health services. Her commitment to creativity, resilience, and community-driven solutions continues to strengthen public health across the region.

Region 2 Vice President.

Melissa, Vice President of Region 3, is the Senior Director of the Community Health and Safety Division at RiverStone Health, where she oversees health promotion, systems improvement, and environmental health teams. Her work focuses on policy, environmental and systems change, and supporting collective impact coalitions. Melissa enjoys serving on the board because it allows her to learn from peers across the state and collaborate to strengthen Montana’s public health workforce and community impact. A fun fact: in high school, she worked at the first-ever McDonald’s drive-through in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Region 4 Vice President.

Meagan Gillespie, Region 5 Vice President, is the Business Manager for Missoula Public Health, overseeing contracting, fiscal operations, departmental support, and project management, while contributing to the department’s strategic direction. With experience at both the state and local levels, she brings a strong understanding of Montana’s public health system. Meagan is passionate about Montana communities and appreciates collaborating with peers across the state to strengthen public health systems and drive shared success. Outside of work, she values spending time with her family, attending community events, and cheering on the University of Montana.

Kristen Bonner is the Public Health Nurse Section Chair on the MPHA Board, where she works to elevate the role of public health nursing and strengthen connections across Montana’s public health community. In her role at RiverStone Health, she oversees the Communicable Disease, Immunization, HIV Services, WIC, and Family Health Services teams, ensuring coordinated and high-quality services that support the well-being of families throughout the region. A nurse by profession, Kristen is passionate about supporting the public health workforce and fostering collaboration across the state. Outside of work, she enjoys umpiring girls fast-pitch softball!

Terry, DPHHS liaison to the board, is the Public Health System Improvement Coordinator at MT Department of Health and Human Services. He has worked in public health for 12 years, following a distinguished career as a U.S. Army Officer. Terry’s experience includes public health emergency preparedness and foundational capabilities improvement, with involvement in the Ebola and COVID-19 responses, State Health Department accreditation, development of the Montana Public Health Institute and Training Center, and federal awards management. He looks forward to continued growth of MPHA and the next annual conference. Outside of work, Terry enjoys auto craft projects, time at the cabin, and board games with family and friends.